MSNBC to Imus: You're FIRED!

[Marthatex]

I have to question this...I almost wonder if has this compassion because it equals ratings. Who knows.

I wouldn't doubt it; I don't care for his show. I just would rather watch him than Ann Coulter.

I usually turn on Keith Olbermann, Anderson Cooper or Larry King, if I watch anything at all, which usually I don't (I read books!)

 

[Nova]

That's actually scary to think that someone like O'Reilly is a representative for my race. I can't stand the guy.

I heard him on the radio today...he said every time a rapper says anything degrading he's going to make mention of it on his show. Good luck with that, Bill.

Ain't that the truth!

 

[Cheetah]

wow--Ludacris lyrics are soooo moronic--typical rap/hip-hop mindless junk--too funny

Mindless junk???

 

[Nova]

Falwell, Robertson, O'Reilly, Ann Coulter, Limbaugh, etc certainly don't speak for me, and I know Sharpton and Jackson don't speak for all blacks.

I guess there isn't a level-headed, civil, non-hateful "spokesman" for either side.

I'm not sure there are "sides." While I don't agree with all of Sharpton's or Jackson's tactics (and I didn't think Imus needed to be fired), I don't consider them to be on a different "side." Aren't we all pro-equality, even when we disagree as to how equality is to be achieved?

But if you mean spokespeople of different races, I am currently reading one of Michael Eric Dyson's books. He is quite simply one of the most brilliant writers I have ever read. His views may be debated, certainly, but he is by no means hateful or uncivil. Cornel West has controversial views, but I haven't seen him be hateful or uncivil either. These are just two of many outspoken yet civil African Americans.

Surely we can think of a few thoughtful white people as well.

 

[Marthatex]

Mindless junk???

Interpretation of music and poetry is "free", and in the minds of the beholder, right Cheetah?

I thought his lyrics interesting myself, tho I rarely listen to rap; and usually I don't even understand the lyrics on the radio.

It's usually the tune or the rythm that I like.

"I can't replace my momma" - no, I don't consider that a bad lyric at all.

 

[Nova]

(regarding that comment from al sharpton about 'his people'....)

and another thing... why can't i refer to my people as, well,, 'my people'...?? why are we not allowed to do that, without being immediately branded as nazis? caucasians aren't allowed to have a 'people'.. we're supposed to be ashamed of our history and culture while everyone else gets to celebrate theirs. we are supposed to accept everyone else and their cultures (even ones we may not care for- OOPS we're not allowed to dislike any other cultures either).. and meanwhile, the other ethnic groups all get to band together and segregate themselves with 'their people' and their culture, because they feel more comfortable with their own kind. but if we do that, we're racists.

(keep in mind, there are those who easily move across society with all its ethnic backgrounds and don't have any preference either way. but those aren't the ones i'm referring to here... i'm talking about the ones who segregate themselves.)

i mean, picture this folks-- can you imagine the uproar, the outrage, the incessant public debate, the rioting, the looting, the gnashing of teeth, the endless media coverage.. that would take place if a public figure said to sharpton (or some other black leader- although i don't really consider sharpton a leader of anything except BS..) "mr. sharpton, regarding YOU and YOUR PEOPLE...." in other words, HE is allowed to say that (segregate himself with words).. but no one else, or rather, no one with light skin would ever DARE to say that.

this is the kind of double-standard i'm talking about, that someday blacks are going to have to address should they ever decide to take a good, hard, critical look at themselves and their behavior in modern american society.

(again, for the blacks who are more enlightened than this,, this does not apply to you! i really need to keep repeating this disclaimer, due to the always-predictable "well, not ALL blacks do this, stop generalizing" response.)

Your questions here have been answered over and over, on this and other threads. But I'm sure you'd rather rant about how badly you are treated by God only knows who.

Let me add that the vast majority of "white people" don't identify themselves primarily in terms of their color. (Africans don't either, because being black is the majority there.) But white people in this country do often identify themselves in terms of the European country their ancestors came from. And there are lots of groups devoted to maintaining their Greek, Scot, Polish, Irish, etc. heritage.

 

[Nova]

Mindless junk???

There's a reason we have a "rolling eyes" emoticon.

 

[IdahoMom]

wow--Ludacris lyrics are soooo moronic--typical rap/hip-hop mindless junk--too funny

Awww, c'mon Peter! You don't like him here?
http://youtube.com/watch?v=PzDALBMhWZs

(Ludacris is at 2:24)

 

[Cheetah]

Awww, c'mon Peter! You don't like him here?
http://youtube.com/watch?v=PzDALBMhWZs

(Ludacris is at 2:24)

LOL....I love that song!

Ludacris has grown as an artist over the years..and so has his maturity. I agree that no one should be called b's and ho's, but I have a much bigger problem with the violence in some rap music.

 

[Masterj]

Maybe not, but we do have loud-mouth, bigoted white men who claim to be leaders- Falwell and Robertson come to mind. They may not be MY leader, but I'm sure you'd find many black people who don't feel Sharpton or Jackson represents them, either.

You are exactly right!

 

[sandraladeda]

http://www.newsday.com/sports/colum...12,0,3616109.column?coll=ny-sports-columnists

Interesting column I read today. Interesting perspective of a black journalist. See snippet below.

I wish I were wrong about that last part. But I doubt it, because any minute now, black people will resume calling themselves and hos and the N-word and in the ultimate sign of hypocrisy, neither Rutgers nor anyone else will call a news conference about that.

Because when we really get to the root of the problem, this isn't about Imus. This is about a culture we -- meaning black folks -- created and condoned and packaged for white power brokers to sell and shock jocks like Imus to exploit. Can we talk?

Tell me: Where did an old white guy like Imus learn the word "ho"?

Was that always part of his vocabulary? Or did he borrow it from Jay-Z and Dave Chappelle and Snoop Dogg?

What really disappointed me about that exhausting Rutgers news conference, which was slyly used as a recruiting pitch by Stringer, was the absence of the truth and the lack of backbone and courage. Black women had the perfect opportunity to lash out at their most dangerous oppressors -- black men -- and yet they kept the focus on a white guy.

 

[Sundayrain]

Well ........there is another casualty to the Imus story.
Our DJ of 17 years has been fired. He is a sweetheart of a guy who works well with the community, and schools.........a friend to all.
He is always full of great humor and makes you smile when you listen to his radio talk.
Apparently what he did was that.........he had" the saying of the day"...something he always did. And the 9th caller would have to call in for whatever.....a silly contest. ( I did not catch this personally)
Well, the saying of the DAY? You guessed it!
Now after all these years, and a great following in this local area........gone.......all for one slip.......words that were not even his own.
I really feel that people are going overboard on the word issues.
As far as our "Gary in the Morning " goes.........we have petitions going
strong.........we even have a rally going for him this upcoming weekend.
This is a man of good character who has lightened up this area with his spunk and his humor.
He needs to be back in the chair on Monday.....we are all rooting for that.

 

[Marthatex]

http://www.newsday.com/sports/colum...12,0,3616109.column?coll=ny-sports-columnists

Interesting column I read today. Interesting perspective of a black journalist. See snippet below.

I wish I were wrong about that last part. But I doubt it, because any minute now, black people will resume calling themselves and hos and the N-word and in the ultimate sign of hypocrisy, neither Rutgers nor anyone else will call a news conference about that.

Because when we really get to the root of the problem, this isn't about Imus. This is about a culture we -- meaning black folks -- created and condoned and packaged for white power brokers to sell and shock jocks like Imus to exploit. Can we talk?

Tell me: Where did an old white guy like Imus learn the word "ho"?

Was that always part of his vocabulary? Or did he borrow it from Jay-Z and Dave Chappelle and Snoop Dogg?

What really disappointed me about that exhausting Rutgers news conference, which was slyly used as a recruiting pitch by Stringer, was the absence of the truth and the lack of backbone and courage. Black women had the perfect opportunity to lash out at their most dangerous oppressors -- black men -- and yet they kept the focus on a white guy.

Very interesting and well written article, thanks. It's all very confusing to me as I don't "walk by black elementary schools" or neighborhoods; I don't really know how they speak to each other; and I don't know if alot of blacks speak that way, or a minority.

It's unsettling, but I loved the term he used for Al Sharpton and others - "Racial ambulance chasers". "Blacks can be their own worst enemies", just as I've heard the expression women can be their own worst enemies; any group can be that way guess.

The blacks have hurt themselves more than Imus hurt them; whites' anger and defensiveness has been aroused, along with confusion - and we feel we're back to "go" in some ways, after many peaceful years. Sharpton says he's been threatened and had to increase his bodyguards. But the article says maybe it's a good thing; I don't know.

 

[Paladin]

Well ........there is another casualty to the Imus story.
Our DJ of 17 years has been fired. He is a sweetheart of a guy who works well with the community, and schools.........a friend to all.
He is always full of great humor and makes you smile when you listen to his radio talk.
Apparently what he did was that.........he had" the saying of the day"...something he always did. And the 9th caller would have to call in for whatever.....a silly contest. ( I did not catch this personally)
Well, the saying of the DAY? You guessed it!
Now after all these years, and a great following in this local area........gone.......all for one slip.......words that were not even his own.
I really feel that people are going overboard on the word issues.
As far as our "Gary in the Morning " goes.........we have petitions going
strong.........we even have a rally going for him this upcoming weekend.
This is a man of good character who has lightened up this area with his spunk and his humor.
He needs to be back in the chair on Monday.....we are all rooting for that.

Wait, some caller called in and said "Nappy headed ho's" and this guy got fired?

 

[Sundayrain]

Wait, some caller called in and said "Nappy headed ho's" and this guy got fired?

YES, Paladin..........and he is just not a guy to the local area, he is a icon.
He is a community leader, the local ,bring the town together guy.
He attends everything........he is also well loved by everyone.
He worked there for 17 years!!!!!!!!!! For the community that long too!
The local radio station.........filled to the brim with his aura.
Might I add that he is full of humor, the class clown.........but.......the person we all loved to hear on our local station in the morning.....
"Gary in the Morning" was the show.
Apparently from bits I am hearing the "owners" of the station were looking to downsize......So would you take your prize DJ.
Yes, he did that little contest he always did..........and Whew.......that was the subject of the day now wasn't it?
Our news is full of headline stories on Gary.........some were in the Pocono record.com and some others front page on the Morning Call newspaper of Easton....The blogs are running almost 100% for him to be rehired!!!
I think it is time now for all of us in the area to go to his rescue he has been there thru it all for us..........

 

[Paladin]

YES, Paladin..........and he is just not a guy to the local area, he is a icon.
He is a community leader, the local ,bring the town together guy.
He attends everything........he is also well loved by everyone.
He worked there for 17 years!!!!!!!!!! For the community that long too!
The local radio station.........filled to the brim with his aura.
Might I add that he is full of humor, the class clown.........but.......the person we all loved to hear on our local station in the morning.....
"Gary in the Morning" was the show.
Apparently from bits I am hearing the "owners" of the station were looking to downsize......So would you take your prize DJ.
Yes, he did that little contest he always did..........and Whew.......that was the subject of the day now wasn't it?
Our news is full of headline stories on Gary.........some were in the Pocono record.com and some others front page on the Morning Call newspaper of Easton....The blogs are running almost 100% for him to be rehired!!!
I think it is time now for all of us in the area to go to his rescue he has been there thru it all for us..........

Geez. That sucks. Can you say...witch hunt?

 

[Masterj]

By any chance is that Gary Craig?

 

[Paladin]

By any chance is that Gary Craig?

Gary Smith...but according to this news story: http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=3031167 it sounds to me like he got what was coming to him.

 

[Nova]

The blacks have hurt themselves more than Imus hurt them; whites' anger and defensiveness has been aroused, along with confusion - and we feel we're back to "go" in some ways, after many peaceful years.

Dark Knight made a similar argument on the early pages of this thread and I've been thinking for days how to respond.

Let me try this: we don't have AIDS funding because of the thousands of politely compliant homosexuals in the Reagan Administration. We have AIDS funding because Larry Kramer and other irritating fellows took to the streets. (And, yes, they threw condoms in churches and did other things that made me cringe at the time.)

 

[eve]

Dark Knight made a similar argument on the early pages of this thread and I've been thinking for days how to respond.

Let me try this: we don't have AIDS funding because of the thousands of politely compliant homosexuals in the Reagan Administration. We have AIDS funding because Larry Kramer and other irritating fellows took to the streets. (And, yes, they threw condoms in churches and did other things that made me cringe at the time.)

This is true Nova, but bullying brings bad karma and people will get very sick of it. Means to end perhaps but there may be a limit to how long these tantrum tactics will work. I sure wouldn't be proud to pursue a cause in this manner.

Eve